Dear Lupin; Letters to a Wayward Son, Roger and Charlie Mortimer

Dear Lupin is a collection of letters written by Roger Mortimer to his son Charlie, starting from when Charlie went to school to Roger's death in 1991. There is a lot in here that a reader just doesn't understand as the letters are wonderfully natural; Roger relies on Charlie's prior knowledge of all his friends and acquaintances, but the letters are none the less delightful and funny. They are moving too, showing a more or less distant and stressful relationship with a son who hadn't turned out quite as they were expecting, but the love and support of the parents and son (mostly) shines through.

Agnes Grey, Anne Bronte

Agnes Grey is predictable but none the less lovely, we follow Agnes as she leaves home for the first time and begins to work as a governess. Bronte obviously wanted to expose the impossible task governesses faced at the time. In both her positions Agnes is expected to keep a tight reign on her charges, without being able to hold any authority over them. Agnes can be very annoying, she is puritanical and thinks a lot of herself when it comes to her morals, though she isn't dislikable, rather we can sympathise with both her struggling with her students and her students struggling with her. It's a comfortable, easy read.

Black Holes The BBC Reith Lectures, Stephen Hawking

I bought this out of curiosity and in the hope that I would be able to understand some of the science. It is surprisingly intelligible, and has notes from the BBC's science editor who helps give some background. It is amazing in that it is so magical; the theories are difficult to get your head around but seem exciting, far fetched and fictional. 

Mothering Sunday, Graham Swift

Mothering Sunday is beautifully and sparsely written with an incredible atmosphere. The story mostly takes place on Mothering Sunday, March 1924. We follow Jane, a maid who has been given the afternoon off to go and see her parents, though she is an orphan. She is called to see her lover, and we spend the morning with her as she watches him get dressed, and leave. She thinks this will be the last time they see each other in this way. It is incredibly observed, the room and house are tangible and it's very relatable. 

The story of the day in March melds into the telling of the beginning of the affair and the rest of Jane's life; which is all revealed slowly and organically. It is a very personal story but does a really good job of giving a sense of the time and the changes someone would see if they were in their 20's in 1924 and lived to be 90. The only criticism I have is that towards the end there is some 'thinking about writing' and it seems to be an indulgence on the part of the author, the story loses a bit of it's authenticity.